We had a very good turn out for registration it looks to be about 240 players. It was exciting to talk to people and see everyone smiling getting ready to play hockey this winter for IYHA. I also, want to applaud all the players and adults and coaches that have come to the Tuesday and Thursday dryland sessions in August. We have had some fun, and work on some skills for the start of the season. I believe every little bit can only help. It won?t be long and we will be into the season. Keep smiling and working hard to make your hockey season a positive one.

Brad DeKanick, President

Apparel

News from the Girls Program Coordinator: Sally Sawyer

GIRLS PROGRAM UPDATE FOR THE 2003-2004 SEASON

AS I STATED IN A SUMMER NEWSLETTER, THE MINNESOTA HOCKEY FEMALE AGE CATEGORIES FOR THE 03-04 SEASON ARE AS FOLLWS:

19 AND UNDER 1/01/1915THROUCH 12/21-1083

16 AND UNDER 1/01/1984 THROUGH 6/30/1986

16 AND UNDER BORN AFTER 7/01/1986

14 AND UNDER BORN AFTER 7/01/1988

12 AND UNDER BORN AFTER 7/01/1990

10 AND UNDER BORN AFTER 7/01/1992 NOW A AND BE LEVELS

IN AGUST AT THE DISTRICT GIRLS COORDINATORS MEETING DISCUSSION TOOK PLACE REGARDING THE NEW AGE CHANGES. THE DISTRICT COORDINATOR (MIKE WEDELL) TOOK A DETAILED LOOK AT BIRTHDATES ACROSS THE DISTRICT AND CONCLUDED THAT WE HAVE THE SAME NUMBER OF PLAYERS ABOVE THE 12U LEVEL AS WE LAST YEAR. LAST YEAR WE HAD TWO LEVELS TO FILL- 15A AND 15B. WITH THE NEW MINNESOTA HOCKEY RULING, WE ARE NOW NEEDING TO FILL 4 LEVELS; 14A, 14B, 16A,AND16B. WHILE THE BULK OF PLAYERS FALL INTO THE 14U BRACKETS, THERE ARE A FEW WHO ARE OLDER AND WOULD NEED TO PLAY AT THE 16U LEVEL. THE VOTE WAS A MAJORITY TO FIELD 16U TEAMS TO ALLOW ALL GIRLS A PLACE TO PLAY. I WAS TOLD BY THE DISTRICT COORDINATOR THAT THERE WERE NOT GOING TO BE ANY 14U?S STATEWIDE ? THIS NOW IS NOT THE CASE AND THE CONTROVERSY CONTINUES AT THE DISTRICT AND THE STATE LEVEL. IAM TOLD THERE WOULD BE A RESOLUTION AFTER THE OCTOBER 6TH MEETING.

THE NUMBERS ARE SIMILAR TO OUR ACROSS THE STATE. IF EVERYONE FIELDS TWO OF ANY GIVEN LEVEL, TRAVEL MAY BE IMMINENT. TO MAKE A LEAGUE AT ONE LEVEL, TEAMS MAY BE COMBINED AT LEVELS, NOT GEOGRAPHY.

PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT AND READ THE ENCLOSED LETTER FROM OUR DISTRICT 2 PRESIDENT, DALE MARASTUEN.

District 2 Members:

This email is intended to help clarify some of the issues and my position relative to 14U and 16U. Minnesota Hockey has felt that it was necessary to confirm its support of the girls classifications for 8,10, 12, 14 16 and 19 year olds. I don't think anyone ever doubted that these were the registration classification for girls available to every local association. It is my opinion as has been stated by others that Minnesota Hockey did not give adequate thought to the 14U/16U adoption originated at USA Hockey. And I was directly involved in that decision. It is clear to me based on information gathered about the numbers of girls that there simply is not adequate numbers of girls within a two year bracket to field teams for leagues as we would want and these girls deserve. If the 15U classification would have been left alone then the three year bracket would have presented virtually the same situation as last year which was workable. Nothing can be done to correct the elimination of 15U for this season but I am hopeful that MH can revisit this and give it an adequate study and if necessary go back to a 15U classification.

Moving forward each association is or will be registering girls in their programs. The classifications are clearly defined in the Minnesota Handbook. Unfortunately, with all the controversy, it will continue to be uncertain what the registration numbers are that dictate formation of teams. How many teams can be formed in each classification and what leagues can be supported? That ends up being the $64 question. Bob Halverson has summarized in previous emails with wide distribution this situation. He is concerned about the numbers of players at the 15 and 16 year old reaching a critical mass to support viable leagues. I share that concern. Bob Halverson is concerned about losing many of these players for lack of viable leagues and I share that concern also. A solution to this numbers problem was to form only 16UA and 16UB teams using the 13, 14, 15 and 16 age classifications and establish the required leagues, playoffs and tournaments to support these teams. This would be very close to having a 15U classification but for a few 16 year olds girls. For me this was and continues to be the best solution with the fewest negatives and the one that I recommend given what we know. However, this approach blew up and now we continue with some uncertainty and also can look forward to making some decision in the next four or five weeks with much better information. But if the projections of numbers hold true then the best solution may not change. In any event, the league decisions will be made by the girls league committee at its October 5th meeting in St. Cloud. The MH vice presidents and committee co-chairs will be at this meeting along with all of the district coordinators with their district directors. Leagues will be formed at this time. What ever comes out of this meeting is what I will support in District 2.

The next State meeting of MH is the weekend of September 19. I anticipate that this issue will get much discussion during the three days if not formally at least informally.

In conclusion your comments are welcome and please feel free to forward this email to others concerned about this issue. There are differences of opinions on this issue throughout the State. I have no reason to doubt that these varying opinions are based upon a belief of what is best for the players in their programs. This is an important issue. But it is not one rising to the level of where one is justified in losing emotional control.

Dale Maristuen, District 2 Director

.

IN OUR OWN BACKYARD: IT HAS BEEN KNOWN FOR QUITE AWHILE THAT WE HAVE A NUMBERS ISSUE AT THE LEVELS ABOVE 12U. THIS YEAR WE HAVE 5 POTENTIAL 14U?S WITH NO ONE FALLING INTO THE 16U CATEGORY. IF THE DISTRICT/STATE DECIDE TO ONLY FIELD 14U?S OUR GIRLS WOULD NOT BE AFFECTED BY THE DECISION.

I HAVE BEEN WORKING ALL SUMMER ON FINDING OPTIONS FOR OUR FOUR GIRLS. MOUNDSVIEW HAS STATED THAT THEY HAVE NO NUMBER ISSUE AT THIS LEVEL. NORTH ST PAUL HAS INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO MAKE A RAINBOW TEAM BUT ARE UNABLE TO COMMITT UNTIL AFTER THE HIGH SCHOOL HAS TRY-OUTS. VERY DIFFICULT AS YOUTH HOCKEY ROSTERS PRIOR TO THE START OF HIGH SCHOOL TRY-OUTS.

I HAVE ALSO SPOKEN WITH TWIN CITIES DISTRICT. THEY NATURALLY ?CO-OP? TEAMS AND ARE WILLING TO WORK WITH US PENDING THEY HAVE THE NEED AFTER REGISTRATION. IT IS AN OPTION I AM CONFIDENT ABOUT. PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT IF OUR BOYS PROGRAM DECIDES TO MOVE TO TWIN CITY DISTRICT IN 04-05, THE GIRLS PROGRAM HAS TO FOLLOW.

ROSEVILLE WILL WELCOME OUR PLAYERS BUT ONLY AT THE BE LEVEL.

AS SOON AS I HAVE A DEFENITE GO AHEAD I WILL CONTACT THOSE PLAYERS ABOVE 12U.

THIS IS A DIFFICULT SITUATION THAT IS SURVIVABLE. THERE ARE MANY OF OUR GIRLS WHO HAVE HAD TO PLAY OUTSIDE OF IRONDALE AND HAVE HAD POSITIVE EXPERIENCES.

I WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT I AM TURNING OVER EVERY STONE TO FIND THE BEST SITUATION FOR OUR GIRLS.

ONCE AGAIN THE GIRLS PROGRAM SPORTS AN EXCELLENT ROSTER OF COACHES! THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR YEARS OF COMMITMENT TO A FANTASTIC GROUP OF GIRLS DUE TO THE NUMBERS AT 10U WE WILL BE HAVING A BRIEF EVALUATION ONE OF THE FIRST ACTUAL PRACTICES. YOUR COACHES WILL LET YOU KNOW THE DATE SHORTLY INTO WARM-UPS.

WELCOME NEW COMERS TO IRONDALE YOUTH HOCKEY! IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN GETTING INVOLVED THERE ARE MANY HATS TO WEAR AND SHARE! CALL ANYONE ON THE BOARD FOR MORE INFORMATION! WE NEED EVERYONE WHO IS WILLING ? AND REALLY, IT?S FUN! +-

IRONDALE GIRLS HOCKEY WARM-UPS 2003

DATE GROUP START END FACILITY

THURSDAY

9.18 12?S 5:15PM 7:30PM SR2 ? BLAINE

9.18 10?S 6:30PM 8:40PM SR2 ? BLAINE

SUNDAY

9.21 12?S 11:00AM 12:00PM SR4 ? RAMSEY

9.21 10?S 12:15PM 1:15PM SR4 ? RAMSEY

SUNDAY

9.28 10?S 1:30PM 2:30PM SR4 ? RAMSEY

9.28 12?S 2:45PM 3:45PM SR4 - RAMSEY

16U PLAYERS ARE WELCOME TO ANY OF THE ABOVE.

RECRUITMENT ICE WAS A WONDERFUL SUCCESS! 5 NEW GIRLS CAME TO SKATE AND JOIN OUR 1OU GROUP!

THANKS TO THE FOLLOWING HIGH SCHOOL PLAYERS FOR RUNNING GREAT ACTIVITIES ON THE ICE! AMIE LORENCE, ELLIE ISAACSON, AMANDA SAWYER, MELISSA SAILOR AND AMY HOUDE. THANKS ALSO TO THE COACHES AND PARENTS WHO WERE PRESENT TO TALK WITH THE NEW PARENTS! ALL IN ALL, IT WAS A GREAT TIME AND WORTHWHILE!

All IYHA Board Meetings are open meetings

Please feel free to come to the meetings, which are held at the Mounds View City Hall in Conference Room C. Also, if you wish to have a copy of any information which is distributed at the meeting, please email or call Niki and it will be mailed to you. Upcoming dates for Board meetings:

Wednesday, October 22, 2003

Wednesday, November 19, 2003

Wednesday, December 24, 2003 (will be rescheduled)

Wednesday, January 21, 2004

Wednesday, February 18, 2004

Wednesday, March 24, 2003

Wednesday, April 21, 2004 (Annual Meeting, location will change)

NOTE: If you wish to be on the agenda for the meeting, please contact Brad DeKanick. 651-639-9110

Board Members 2003 - 2004

Irondale Youth Hockey Association (IYHA)

President

Brad DeKanick

651-639-9110 (h)

brad_dekanick@rdale.k12.mn.us

Vice President

Jeanne Falconer

763-784-5520 (h)

763-458-5946 (cell)

651-486-1235 (w)

jeanneh@stoffice.com

Treasurer

Cindy Rundle

763-784-8556 (h)

Cynthia.M.Rundle@xcelenergy.com

Secretary

Niki Gjere

612-273-6439 (w)

612-581-7620 (cell)

612-527-7437 (pager)

ngjere1@fairview.org

gjere002@umn.edu

Ice Commissioner

Mick Mata

651-628-0080 (h)

651-983-8027 (c)

763-694-6657 (w)

matam@bsci.com

(work)

mickandcarol@usfamily.net

(home)

Boys Program Coordinator

Dan Marcouiller

651-780-5923 (h)

651-635-4415 (w)

Daniel.Marcouiller@allina.com

(work)

Marcouiller@usfamily.net

(home)

Girls Program Coordinator

Sally Sawyer

651-635-9744 (h)

612-709-3300 (cell)

dksawyer@attbi.com

Initiation Coordinator

Steve Kracht

651-633-4334 (w)

651-786-7267 (h)

steve@bellpole.com

Equipment

Gary Rundle

763-784-8556 (h)

thenspman@aol.com

Registration

Pat O?Connor

651-636-1081 (h)

cmoc@attbi.com

District 2

Dan Beeson

651-631-9178 (h)

651-451-1831 (o)

dbeeson@levander.com

The Board of the Lake Region Hockey Association meets on the third Tuesday of every month at various locations. If you are interested in attending the next meeting, please call Gayle Goben at 651-638-9756.

Meeting called to order by President DeKanick at 7:07 p.m. Minutes from meeting of Wednesday, July 23, 2003 reviewed, motion to accept (DB) (DM).

Guests:

Sue Sentieri:

Action:

Dawn Stimmler

Old Business:

Bylaws Revision:

Talked with Dale Marsten from District 2. They are fine with what we are doing. All that needs to be done at the District meeting is to modify the District 2 rules to say that St. Anthony kids can register at Irondale without waiver. Motion to adopt the bylaw amendment and resolution as presented at the last meeting and published in the newsletter (DB) (SS). Discussion. Motion carried.

Board Reports/Roundtable:

President: Brad DeKanick

: here to answer any questions about the summer program. Has questionnaires that have been completed by the families. Is asking if the Board will support the efforts financially. Positive comments. One issue was the length and time of day with care issues. Looking at starting dryland in May next year. Looking at having vacation time planned in. Will end two weeks earlier. May do a two week camp at the end of the summer (separate) to help kids get ready for the season. Switching from Fogarty to Super Rink. Will take 23 kids per age group. Will go from 9:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. If IYHA chooses to do the 25% support, estimate $17,700 (if all were Irondale kids). Cindy Rundle will check with our auditor. last month, Mounds View approached Lake Region. They would like to give$500 scholarships, with a matching from Lake Region. They are wondering if IYHA would like to do the same. Mounds View would stay in charge of their own selection criteria. Dan said that Baseball has done it in the past, however the auditors told them they could not do that because of their non-profit status?so it was ceased. Sue is here tonight because Mounds View asked for matching, and Lake Region cannot do that without matching the same for Irondale.

Received a few phone calls from St. Anthony folks?questions about registration dates, etc. Started Dryland program in August. Average 15 kids. Will continue through the end of September. Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Registration: Pat O?Connor

Went to the mandatory meeting August 16th. Packet is to the printer. Registration form is triplicate, consent to treat, waiver form, code of conduct. Background check forms completed for Board members, distributed to Coordinators for coaches. Will receive scorebooks from District 2 when the teams are registered.

Ice Commissioner: Mick Mata

All of the ice is scheduled for September. Super Rink ice has been obtained from October through February. Game scheduling will happen on October 18th for Twin City District. Game ice for Pony teams and girls will be set through District 2. Get the tournament ice dates to Mick as soon as possible.

Initiation Program Coordinator: Steve Kracht

Talked with District 2 and Twin Cities district?we are being welcomed for Pony teams at both associations. Steve is asking for feedback about which one we should go to this year. (In TC District?they call them Mite 1). This year there will be 10 Pony teams in District 2. September 10th at Sunny Square is the parent?s meeting at 6-7 (mini-mites), 7:15-8 (mites), 8:15 to 9:00 (Ponies). Interviews for coaches starting next week. Will have a mentoring program for the younger kids and the parents. Will ask the Irondale HS Varsity coaches to provide a player for their practices. Budget presented to Cindy.

Boys Program Coordinator: Dan Marcouiller

Warm up schedule is set. Coaches interviews are next week and the week after. Warm-ups begin Tuesday, September 9th?total of 7 hours of warm-ups for each level. Tryouts start October 5th and finish October 11th. Will have tournaments right away (when picking coaches will tell them they need to set up tournaments right away). General discussion about a Junior Gold team?Jeanne Falconer is pursuing this. General discussion about 9th graders and Bantams. Dan will email his budget to Cindy.

Girls Program Coordinator: Sally Sawyer

Recruiting ices tomorrow night and September 6th. Advertisement in the newspaper. Right now there are 22 kids at 10U. With recruiting and other interest, hope to get to 30 girls at 10U. Will have 2 teams. Have evaluators coming in. Anticipating 16 girls at 12UA. Anticipate 4 girls for the upper level (16U). No association is fielding a 14U team this year. Sally is dong the best she can to have opportunities for the 4 girls in the upper level. Sally will email budget to Cindy by the end of the week.

Vice President: Jeanne Falconer

Working on scheduling pictures. Doing a trade show this year instead of a Silent Auction. Will have volunteer sheets at Registration for the Tournament. Parade was a huge success!!! Will check about being in the Mounds View parade next year. Should also check for the St. Anthony parade.

Treasurer: Cindy Rundle

Distributed Treasurer?s report. Has a form for the 1099 information. In order to be paid, must complete the 1099 forms. Need to receive the budgets. Will contact the auditor, may come to meeting next month.

Secretary: Niki Gjere

Newsletter deadline is September 1st. Hearing that people are reading newsletter and checking website. Will receive a check from the Sportsmen?s club for $250.00 for doing the clean up of the Sportsmen?s club. They would like to have everybody?s names for their newsletter. Sally suggested Niki bring laptop to directly enter names and email addresses into computer.

Equipment Manager: Gary Rundle

Will order jerseys. Cindy needs to have budget tomorrow.

District 2 and Twin Cities District: Dan Beeson

Twin Cities District: October 13th is team declaration date. For TC: Tuesday, October 28th is mandatory coaches and managers meeting at Arlington High School. League play starts November 7th. Will have to use TC referees for all home games. Will be no added cost to play in the TC District.

District 2: Doug Loahr is interested in being the alternate D2 representative. Randy Bortot has also expressed an interest. Will approve Doug because he expressed interest first. Many thanks to our volunteers. Motion that Doug Loahr is the alternate District 2 representative (SS) (GR).

Many people picked up order forms and took them with them. A reminder I will put an order in on September 22. If interested in ordering please return the form by the date on the order form. I am hoping to have the orders back to you by November 1. I will be meeting with team managers after the teams are made to have a 2nd order. This would be a chance to place an order later in the season. Show your Irondale Pride! My address and phone number are; 2043 Pleasantview Dr. New Brighton 55112, 651-639-9110.